Please Read/KIDNEY CANCER

My husband has kidney cancer. He has had 4 surgeries to remove parts where the cancer was. He would be 2 years cancer free July 7. He just had surgery for a broke hip and they found the cancer in his bones. What now? Has anyone had someone with this. I am not stupid to not realize this is more than serious. If this is the final stage I need to know what to expect. I need to know.

The following user gives a hug of support to brighterday:
marty1112 (06-05-2011)

We have not heard from you for a long time. I thought your husband was cancer free and completely recovered from the disease after four time of surgeries. I am very sorry to hear the devil is in your husband's bones now. I am sad and am crying why this Kidney Cancer has no medicines for cure. God bless your husband. Be strong !

I can not believe you remember us! I came into work feeling so down and when I read this from you I felt like you reached out and gave me a hug. Just knowing someone cares helps.Thank you so much!
Yes he would be cancer free 2 years July 7. He began hurting in his hip. They found after a few months that it was broke. They went in to fix it and found the cancer in his bone. We are to go to the cancer center in a local town to see about some experimental meds.His spirit is up and I am glad. I have been a little depressed. I asked his Doctor if this was bad. I just wanted (needed) a simple answer. He told me that I could get on the boat of denial with my husband or I could give up and let him die. I was mortified!
Why do they not see that the caregivers have a hard time dealing too?
How are you and your family? I hope all is well.Thanks so much again!

was reading some post about kidney cancer and decided instead of being so depressed to try and help someonelse. If you or a love one has kidney cancer I can tell you to find a doctor who believes in surgery to remove the cancer. Kidney cancer is known(info from our great doctor) to go from the kidney, to the lung, the liver, the brain and then the bones. My husband's cancer went from the kidney,to the lungs, adrenal glands(which was probably part of the kidney problem, then to the bones. He skipped the liver and brain(they will be checking now). When it is in an organ the best way to rid of it is to do surgery. That is what our Doctor did and my husband has lived longer(we were told) than others who did not do surgery.
They took out what they could from the bone. It is a new mountain but we have to find another trail.
I have had thyroid cancer so what I am about to share with you is not from someone who does not know the FEAR from both sides. I want to share with you that a positive attitude is a MUST! My husband is amazing people! He has his days but overall I have watched him and he has such determination to beat this, it makes me feel shame in my worrying at times.
He had hip surgery on a Saturday to place a steel rod in his femur bone. He got back to the room at 3:00pm and he was walking to the nurses station holding on to a wheelchair by 5:00pm!POSITIVE! We watched Joel Osteem on television and he said you can choose to be positive or negative.We can take this cancer (any type) and take into our minds all the negative aspects of this diease or we can take in all of the positive(as hard as it may be sometimes) and dig to find the positive aspects and LIVE our days to the fullest!
Please if anyone has any questions about kidney cancer and I can help feel free to ask. You may be a caretaker and feel the weight of the world on your shoulders! I will be glad to try to lift you up. By lifting you ...I lift!

The following user gives a hug of support to brighterday:
patricia V (10-31-2011)

I have a question because I have been looking for a similar page. Here it goes: My dad had a tumor (I believe, or cancer....or is it all the same) about 5 years ago or so in his kidney, and had to have the kidney removed. Now, he is cancer free (although he had prostate cancer a few years ago and removed successfully) and I am wondering if that is what everyone is talking about. To the orinial poster of this topic, was his kidney completely removed and it returned? Does it return? Does my dad have a good chance since the kidney was completely removed.
Thanks.

I am not sure, but from what information you gave the second round of cancer was probably a different kind(prostate?). If they took out your fathers kidney and the cancer was contained (just the kidney)he has a very good chance(speaking from our Doctors point of view) that it did not get into the blood stream to relocate somewhere else.See my husbands cancer was in the kidney and wrapped around the vena cava artery. They had to peel it away from the site.
I know a man from a local town who had his kidney taken from kidney cancer and he is doing great with no mets(relocating) I hope this is the case with your father. I know it is hard not to worry though.
God Bless you and keep in touch! I would like to know more details.

We go today to the local cancer center to talk to the Doctor to see what options we have. My husband is scared. As long as he does not have to think about it he is alright but knowing he has to make a decision is making him so nervous. I wish I could help but nothing I can say can help. He has decided that he does not want any tough treatments if they are not going to help in the long run. He says he will not allow his children to watch him slowly go down. I want to hug him and make everything ok but I can not. This is going to be a long day, but as he we say ,we can be victims or victorious! I choice victorious! Have a good day.

The kidney cancer is not in mu husbands brain. He is taking radiation treatments (15) to his leg where the cancer is in his bone. It seems to drain his energy a bit. He will start on a new medicine called Nexavar soon which will hopefully slow this down. We have hope.

The kidney cancer is not in my husbands brain. He is taking radiation treatments (15) to his leg where the cancer is in his bone. It seems to drain his energy a bit. He will start on a new medicine called Nexavar soon which will hopefully slow this down. We have hope.

The radiologist that read my nusbands brain report and reported no unusual findings , but was wrong. The kidney cancer is in his brain. I place about as big as a thumbprint is in his brain. He goes for Gama treatment soon. This is laser surgery. I am scared but praying.

I was just following your post's on your husbands battle's with this cancer.

Is laser surgery the only option for treating it in his brain? I met a man who was going to have the new Tomotherapy radiation to destroy the cancer in his brain. The Tomo radiation is able to pinpoint the treatment area more precisley so it doesn't destroy healthy brain cells. Although....I must admit -Laser surgery would also be my choice because it too is so precise!

Just know that many people visit these boards and are following your post's and praying for you and your dear husband!

I have been diagnosed with CUP (carcinoma of Unknown Primary) of the lymph nodes. I have developed a healthy respect for all cancer patients...because it could originate anywhere in anyone and it's just evil.

Thank you for your concern DJW.
I would like to know about CUP that you have. My prayers are with you!

The Gamma Knife surgery is very presise. They will next week screw a helmet onto his head, place all information as to where the lesions are and the laser computer does the rest. He will come home shortly after. The laser gives enough radiation to kill the cancer cells but not enough to harm the good cells. They speak highly of this compared to whole head radiation which causes side effects like unbalance and memory loss. This technique helps to have more quailty of life as they say.The team of doctors and nurses are called the Tulane Team which is located in New Orleans, La. in case someone needs this kind of help. If you need any more information I will be glad to help. After this he will start on Nexavar and somata.
We are staying positive with great HOPE!

We went to New Orleans for Gamma Knife surgery. It went well. I want you to know those were the nicess people we have ever dealt with. "The Tulane Team". They even set us up in the HOPE LODGE. It is a hotel like place that they set families up in for free to have treatment. People this is run by donations. If ever you want to donate to a worthy cause this is it. We were treated with kindness and it was great. It is home away from home.

The interesting part was the helmet that was screwed on to his head. he had a slight headache afterward but we drove the 2 hour drive home. If anyone has brain lesions this treatment is good because there is very little side effects. The whole head radiation causes memory loss and unbalance. This treatment just kills the bad cells.

I filmed the procedure and the family as well as my husband watched it. He could not remember all that they did because of the medicine they gave him.

Now we just wait, watch and pray that this kills the cells and that no other lesion comes back. he is limping bad on his bad leg. He will take Nexavar when he is healed from this surgery. I just worry about the lapse in time to give for other cancer cells to grow.

Every now and then he will say that he does not want to loose his mind and be a burden. He wonders how long his body can take all of the fight and medicines and not break down. He seemed slightly depressed yesterday and I worry but maybe it will pass.

He could never be a burden for me. I have loved him forever and always will. He has always been good and gentle with me so I consider it an honor to take care of him.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers. Each of you are in my prayers daily.
My husband had the laser surgery to his head in August. It went well. We even filmed it because it was so interesting.
Later in August his right arm broke because of the cancer. They went in and braced it with metal to stablize it. Now he has a right crippled leg and a right crippled arm but folks he is still fighting the fight of his life for his life. It is not always rosy for him but he puts his best forward. I respect him more each passing day.
When someone ask how we are doing I try to say it's a good day because every day that I get to spend with his man is great!
Cancer is a horrible disease, but I will not let it take daily what I can enjoy now.
We continue our phrase that "we will be victorious, not victims".
I want to also take the time and say how fortunate that we have been with the doctors that have been with him. We have some great doctors. One in particular that has always tried his best to make my husbands life a little easier. Doctors do not do that today. he has always made us feel like humans not just numbers. We will always be grateful to him forever. A special prayer goes up for him and his family! They have the weight of the world on their shoulders taking care of people they care about. They are human too.